Understanding Asperger Syndrome

Understanding Sam and Asperger Syndrome by Clarabelle van Niekerk and Liezl Venter is a picture book about a young boy with Asperger Syndrome.

One out of every 150 children in the United States is diagnosed with some form of autism according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Sam was different. He liked to giggle but he did not like loud noises. Making friends was hard for Sam. Sam love to play his cello and played the same song over and over again. School was hard for Sam and sometimes the other kids would tease him.

Sam's parents took him to a doctor and she explained that Sam had a form of autism called Asperger Syndrome. The doctor suggested that teachers, parents and counselors should work together to help Sam be the best that he can be.

There are ten tips to help children understand Asperger Syndrome at the end of this story. These tips are excellent to share with siblings and classmates of a child with Asperger Syndrome.

This story is outstanding and the illustrations are colorful and full of emotion. I am happy to see a children's book that promotes empathy and understanding. We are all different and we need to respect each other because of this.